1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a patient support apparatus for medical devices of the type having a stationary lower part and a displaceable upper part.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Patient support apparatuses with which the patient can be displaced rapidly and simply are frequently required in medical technology, particularly for imaging systems. In some systems it is important to build the patient support apparatus as flat as possible. For example, in magnetic resonance tomography devices with magnets in a ring coil arrangement the size of the accessible opening of the magnet largely determines its cost. This is particularly important when the magnetic resonance tomography device is operated with superconductive magnets. With increasing diameter of the examination opening, not only do the coils become larger but a larger cryostat must also be used to cool the coils, given otherwise identical conditions.
In computed tomography as well the costs rise with greater diameter of the patient opening, although to a lesser extent than in magnetic resonance tomography.
Conventional patient support apparatuses are generally equipped with rollers enabling a displacement of the upper part of the bearing apparatus on which the patient lies. These rollers require space in the examination space, however, so that this must be enlarged with the disadvantageous consequences described above. Since the upper part of the patient support apparatus is usually initially placed on a height-adjustable apparatus outside the examination space and is then driven into the examination space, it is costly to construct the patient support apparatus such that a vibration-free transition between the height-adjustable part and the examination space is possible for the upper part.